Sleepless
by Rapha7
Summary: Goku's secret is driving Sanzo crazy. Why is the chimp secretly visiting Sanzo in the middle of the night while he sleeps? Is it really to protect him? When Hakkai takes action to find out Goku's secret, Gojyo and Sanzo overreact. Shonen ai. Swearing.


Sleepless

by

Rahpa7

Saiyuki fan-fic. Implied shonen-ai. Adult language. GokuxSanzo. GojyoxHakkai.

Saiyuki belongs to Kazuya Minekura.

Slipping beneath the small opening in the windowsill, the figure crept silently toward the bed. The darkness pervaded the senses so completely that the sudden flash of light caught the creeper off guard.

"What are you doing, baka saru?" The figure reclining on the bed jackknifed into a sitting position, the silver gun reflecting the moonlight as it leveled at the intruder.

"Ah…" Golden eyes wide with trepidation, Goku tried to formulate an answer that wouldn't get him shot. "Ah…hi, Sanzo!"

Sanzo glowered, "What are you doing?"

Goku rubbed his head and still couldn't think of an answer, or as Goyjo liked to say creative truth-telling, "Ah…nothing."

Sanzo's violet eyes sharpened as he thought of firing, but managed to restrain that deadly urge. It was very late after all, and the innkeepers would likely toss them out for too much noise. "This is the third time I've caught you sneaking in my room…this month. What are you doing…Goku?"

It was the tone that demanded an answer. If Goku refused…all hell would break loose, regardless of circumstances.

Goku paused, "Um…Gojyo wanted to borrow your lighter?"

Sanzo glowered, "Wrong answer. Not even close. That damn kappa took it hours ago. I'll ask one more time. What are you doing, Goku?"

Goku flushed, opening his mouth wider, "I'm….." he mumbled the rest under his breath.

"What was that?" Sanzo's patience was wearing thin. His finger itched toward the trigger.

"I'm protecting you." Once it was out, Goku leapt into his usual fast and spirited explanation, "I mean, I know you're tough, but these guys are getting brutal and you're always tired and cranky. From stress… I thought if I kept watch, you'd…you'd get some sleep and I'd protect you." Goku ran out of breath and waited.

"You IDIOT!" Sanzo shouted, unable to control his voice, "You woke me up just for that? How can I sleep with you skulking around? You're lucky I didn't SHOOT you!"

Sanzo whipped out his harisen and began whacking Goku with it over and over.

"You idiot monkey! I'm trying to sleep and you keep waking me up! I'm sleepless because of you! Use your monkey brain and stop disturbing me!" Goku cowered as the fan beat his head and shoulders.

"Ow! That really hurt, Sanzo!"

"Good, because I meant it to! You need more discipline!"

Though Sanzo's voice was loud, the door knob suddenly rattled quite loudly, then Hakkai's voice floated through the locked door, "Is everything all right, Sanzo?"

Sanzo stomped to the door, grabbing Goku by the collar. He flung open the door so forcefully it shook the neighboring wall as it slammed against it. "Just fucking great!" Sanzo roared. With a flourish, he tossed Goku out at Hakkai, "Take this idiot and get out of here! I'm going to sleep and if anyone tries to sneak in…friendly or otherwise…I'll shoot them dead!"

Sanzo's voice echoed through the hallway of the inn. A door cracked open a few rooms away. A little old lady peered out uneasily, "Oh my!"

"What is it, dear?" An elderly man shuffled behind her to peer out the door.

"I think it's a lover's quarrel!" The old woman's voice carried and Sanzo flinched before slamming the door shut in Goku and Hakkai's faces.

"Oh dear." Hakkai sighed, holding a trembling Goku close for a moment, "Come, Goku. Let's go to bed, it's very late and we're leaving early."

As they passed the elderly couple, they heard the old man ask, "Is that what they call swapping partners? Always wanted to try that…"

"What was that dear?"

"Nothing. Close the door, Esthild."

Hakkai's face reddened as the door closed firmly between them and the couple. Goku glanced at the door curiously, "Swapping?"

"Oh my, Goku, please ignore that. Let's go." Hakkai ushered Goku into the room they shared with Gojyo. The red-haired kappa was nowhere in sight.

"Huh? Where's Gojyo?" Goku turned his head and started looking under the bed.

Hakkai's face took on a pleasant expression, "I believe he had an early evening appointment with a woman he met at a bar."

Goku looked pensive, "Isn't that dangerous? Things have been getting freaky lately…"

Hakkai shrugged, "We'll have to trust Gojyo, I guess. Anyway, are you all right, Goku? Are you injured?"

Goku sat down on Gojyo's unoccupied bed, "Naw. Not much. Sanzo went ballistic, as I thought." Goku let his hands fall loosely on his knees as he sighed deeply.

_As he thought? What's going on?_ Hakkai frowned briefly, "What do you mean? What were you doing?" His pleasant expression reverted back before Goku caught it.

Goku paused, then looked up with a pained expression, "Can I tell you and can you keep it a secret? Even from Gojyo and Sanzo"

Hakkai sat down next to Goku, "Well, that depends. We're on a dangerous journey. If it's something that affects us as a group, it really isn't fair to keep it a secret. And weren't you the one who doesn't like secrets?"

Goku flushed, "Yeah, but now I've got one. At least I think I'd better keep it that way. Don't worry, Hakkai. It isn't dangerous. It might make Sanzo mad, though."

Hakkai laughed, "That in itself is dangerous." He wrapped an arm around Goku. "It's okay, Goku. Tell us when you're ready."

Goku face lightened and he flung himself at Hakkai, "Thanks a bunch! I love you, Hakkai! I really love you!" Hakkai lost his balance and they toppled over on the bed.

At this very moment, Gojyo entered the room, hearing the proclamation of love and seeing Goku push Hakkai down on the bed.

"What the hell?" Gojyo exclaimed.

Hakkai blinked from his awkward position, "Oh dear."

Bristling angrily, Goku lifted his eyes and glared at Gojyo, "What are you doing here? I thought you were busy kissing on a waitress or something?"

Gojyo felt as if he'd walked into an alternate universe. "Oi, you want me to leave you two alone, or something, man?"

Hakkai struggled for words, but sighed instead, "Well, it appears you've caught us at an inconvenient moment. Goku, let me up please."

Goku blinked, realizing, "Oh, sorry Hakkai." Goku sprang backward on the bed, resting on his heels, pausing to glare at Gojyo.

Gojyo cleared his throat uncertainly, "Uh…"

Hakkai sat up and adjusted his t-shirt, smiling like everything normal, "What brings you back so early? I thought it was a 'hot' date tonight?"

Gojyo shrugged, "It didn't work out that way." Gojyo awkwardly divested himself of his vest and boots, then shoved Goku off the bed with a bare foot. "Is this monkey bothering you?" His voice seemed to harden way past normal. Goku hit the floor and glared up at Gojyo.

"Shut up you stupid ero-kappa! I've got business with Hakkai!" Goku clenched his fists. His voice wakened Hakkuryu, who cheeped sleepily.

Hakkai covered his mouth with a hand and tried not to look at Gojyo. "Oh…dear."

Gojyo puffed his chest out, then pounded his fist on Goku's head repeatedly, "What was that, you little pervert? Just try something and I'll pound you into the next 500 years!"

As Goku and Gojyo wrestled about, a knock suddenly sounded on the door. Hakkai rose and opened the door warily.

"Yes?"

The owner of the inn stood in his night clothes, not looking very happy, "We've had complaints about the noise level. I'm not trying to say how you should live your lives, but please try to keep your romantic problems quiet."

Hakkai swallowed as Goku and Gojyo paused in their ritual pounding of each other to listen. "Yes, I'm very sorry about this. We'll keep quiet. Please don't worry. I'm sorry for the trouble." Hakkai bowed, then closed the door. Turning around, his face was deceptively calm.

Goku and Gojyo shrank back from his solemn expression, "H-h-h-hakkai?" Gojyo stuttered.

Goku sighed and flung himself away from Gojyo, "Whatever, I'm going to bed." Goku grabbed the futon from the floor and curled up next to Hakkuryu.

Hakkai turned his gaze back to Gojyo, "We've had quite enough excitement for one night, Gojyo. Please go to bed."

Gojyo huffed as Hakkai turned out the light. "Jeez, man. I come in and you're all lovey-dovey with the chimp…and **I** get yelled at?"

"Gojyo." Hakkai's voice was very calm and very very scary.

"Yeah, man. I got it." Gojyo flung himself down on the bed to settle in for the night.

The next morning, Sanzo rattled his paper and ignored the glances he kept receiving from the other diners in the breakfast room. He drank his tea and smoked cigarette after cigarette. He looked up at a clearing of a throat, and frowned at Gojyo, who sat down heavily at the table.

Usually the kappa would grunt out a morning, but this time he avoided Sanzo's eyes and waved the waitress over to order breakfast. Sanzo narrowed his gaze and looked for Goku and Hakkai behind Gojyo.

"Where are…" Sanzo began.

Gojyo held up a hand, "Man. I don't want to talk about it."

His tone brooked no opposition, and the look on his face worried Sanzo for a moment. Gojyo sighed heavily again and began drinking his coffee and chain smoking.

An hour went by as they stared at everything but each other, ignoring the whispers of the other diners when finally Goku and Hakkai appeared.

Hakkai beamed his usual smile and Goku waved cheerily.

"Good morning!" They chorused.

"Food, food, food! I'm starving!" Goku chanted, grabbing a chair and straddling it.

Hakkai chuckled, "Well, that's hardly new. I'm rather hungry myself…"

Gojyo scraped his chair back loudly and placing his hands in his pockets quickly left the table.

The elderly couple who had witness part of the previous night's events noticed this with sharp eyes. They whispered to each other.

"See…that must be the other young man's partner."

"Oh, dear. I guess the swapping didn't go well."

Hakkai frowned after Gojyo, "I wonder what's wrong with Gojyo. Last night he wasn't acting normally."

Sanzo bit through the filter in his cigarette, then tossed it away. "Beats me. Oi, saru." Goku ignored Sanzo as he filled his face. "SARU!"

Goku continued eating without responding to Sanzo. Sanzo's hand twitched above his harisen and his gun repeatedly.

"Goku." Sanzo commanded.

Goku blinked, then swallowed. "Hmm? What, Sanzo?"

"Why didn't you answer me?" Sanzo gritted his teeth.

Goku's face took on a sullen expression, and his golden eyes sharpened, "Oh? Were you calling me? Sorry, I was trying to eat my breakfast faster. We have to leave early, right Hakkai?" The moment his eyes landed on Hakkai, Goku's face beamed with pleasure, completely different from how he regarded Sanzo.

Sanzo blinked. His hand twitched over the harisen and the gun.

Hakkai beamed back at Goku, "That's right, Goku. Well, then. Since Sanzo and Gojyo were the early risers this time, how about they take care of the supplies?"

Sanzo flinched, "I don't shop."

Hakkai turned a serious expression toward Sanzo, "Then take Gojyo and do it. We've got to preserve our strength, right Goku?"

Goku nodded vigorously as he chewed diligently. "Yup."

Sanzo scraped back his chair as he stood. "Fine. Hurry up then. We're going as soon as we're finished." Sanzo stalked out of the inn and grabbed Gojyo, who was waiting outside the inn, by the arm.

Goku sighed with pleasure, "It's so quiet!"

Hakkai grinned, "That's right. It is."

Goku waved the waitress over, "Could I have seconds, please?"

Sanzo stalked through the village, his hands clenched at his sides, while Gojyo strolled through, hands in pockets. Neither man spoke as they stopped to buy cigarettes, lighters, and food items.

Finally Sanzo growled out in a low voice, "What the fuck is up with them?"

Arms full of groceries, instead of answering Gojyo kicked a stone, which in turn bounced off a building and struck a window, shattering the glass. Voice exclaimed from inside the shop. Gojyo blinked, then pointed with his head down a side street, "I think this is a shortcut!" He dashed down the street, leaving Sanzo to follow at his own cue. They cut across several streets and ended up down another side street before they stopped running.

"That was really stupid!" Sanzo growled angrily.

Gojyo chuckled, "Sorry, man."

Sanzo glared, "So answer me."

Gojyo cleared his throat, "Uh…did they seem odd to you?"

Sanzo's brows furrowed, "Yeah, so what the fuck is up?" He lit a cigarette.

Gojyo's lips clamped, "Last night I caught the little monkey confessing to Hakkai and climbing all over him on the bed."

Sanzo's cigarette dropped from his mouth to the ground. "What did you say?"

"Man…I'm not repeating it. I'm trying to forget it, you get me? Hakkai was real pissy about it too."

"Just…what was Goku doing?" Sanzo couldn't stop the question.

Gojyo shrugged, "Hugging Hakkai and telling him he loved him, while they were on the bed lying down."

Sanzo clenched his fists, "That little bastard monkey!"

Gojyo sighed, "Tell me about it, Man. I think you need to retrain him or something. I don't want Hakkai to be bothered."

Sanzo glanced over at the red-haired kappa, "Really? Did it seem he was bothered by it?"

Gojyo shrugged again, "Hard to say, Man. Goku was pissed at getting interrupted, though. I thought he'd punch me out…or try."

Sanzo frowned, "It didn't seem to bother either of them this morning."

Gojyo growled, "Well, they just live in their own little world, don't they?" They came within sight of the inn, seeing Hakkai and Goku waiting in the Jeep on the outside. "So, what are we going to do about it, Man?"

Sanzo's violet eyes sharpened, "Find out what the fuck is going on. We don't need extra baggage on our journey."

They reached the Jeep and Hakkai and Goku greeted them cheerily again. "Hey! See, they did go shopping, Hakkai!" Goku grinned happily at the driver of the Jeep.

Hakkai smiled, "That's right, Goku. And you were so worried."

Goku crossed his arms, "Well, that's cause…"

"Shut up, you stupid monkey." Sanzo said far more coldly than usual.

"Yeah. We're leaving." Gojyo leapt into the back and pounded Goku on the head with a little more force than usual.

Goku held his head, and watched Gojyo with curious golden eyes. "Whatever. Hey, Hakkai, how far is it to the next town?"

Sanzo whipped around and glared right into Goku's face, "Listen you little imp, if I hear so much as a peep from you today, I'll shoot, got it?"

Goku didn't pull away from the personal space invasion, rather he glared right back at Sanzo, "Yeah? What else is new? I wasn't asking you anyway. I was asking Hakkai."

A vein throbbed in Sanzo's forehead as he struggled for words. Gojyo grabbed Goku's head and jerked him roughly backward in the seat. "That's enough out of you, monkey boy."

Hakkai ignored their companions as he started the engine, "It's about a day's journey to the next town, Goku. If we don't run into any trouble, that is. Do you think you can hold your appetite until then?"

At the word appetite, both Sanzo and Gojyo flinched, their eyes turning to stare at Hakkai's head.

Goku grinned, "I'll try, for sure. Seconds at breakfast helped."

Hakkai laughed, "Well, don't worry, Goku, we'll go as fast as we can."

"Oi!" Sanzo said suddenly.

Hakkai turned his head and stared at Sanzo, "Yes?" He drove through the seats as he waited for a response.

"What the hell is up with you two?"

"Hmm? Nothing, really. Right, Goku?" Hakkai grinned at Goku in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah. We're fine. You guys are the ones acting weird." Goku rested his chin on his palm and stared out at the retreating scenery.

For the next week, Goku and Hakkai continued to smile and acquiesce their way through the countless dangers of traveling with their companions and being hunted by the youkai. Their displayed lack of interest in their companions began to wear thin, however.

One evening, as Hakkai and Goku were talking quietly over the table in the latest inn to each other, Sanzo and Gojyo were glaring thunderously.

"That's it!" Sanzo whipped out his harisen and began beating Goku over the head, "What the hell's your problem, you stupid monkey?"

Goku winced as he was repeated smacked, "What are you talking about, Sanzo? Ow!"

The other diners wisely left the four young men alone.

"You and Hakkai have been acting funny for way too long! I've had it! What the hell is going on?"

"What do you mean by funny?" Hakkai asked, his tone deceptively mild.

"You're not acting like normal." Gojyo slammed his drink down on the table. "I'm getting sick of it too. Dammit! Cut it out already and tell us what's going on!"

Goku's eyes took on an accusing glare, "What? Why does it have to be our problem? You guys are the ones who…OW!"

Sanzo withdrew his arm from administering the full force hit of the harisen, "You were saying?" Sanzo said icily, his tone dripping with venom.

Goku paused, then his golden eyes filled with tears, "You guys don't understand anything! Hakkai's the only one…Hakkai's the only one…" Goku rushed up from the table and dashed out the door.

Hakkai grimly folded his hands and glowered at Gojyo and Sanzo fiercely. His stare had the effect of pushing them both back down in their seats, as they had both risen when they shouted.

"Now that you two idiots have driven Goku away for the time being…" Hakkai's usually mild voice dripped with cold poison, "I'll tell you. Something's really bothering Goku and he doesn't want to tell me what it is. It's a secret, apparently. I've been trying to get him to open up…but you two…you two…keep making it worse. I'm really very worried about him and you two…God knows what the hell is wrong with you…but I'm rather sick of it!"

Hakkai's voice took on a whiplash fury, "I don't know what you think you saw, Gojyo, but since that night, you've been acting like a spoiled brat. And you too, Sanzo. The moment Goku withdraws from you, you start shooting blame at everything around you. It's been nearly unbearable for Goku the past week, and all you've done is make it worse! I'm going to look for him…and while I'm gone, I want you to think about **why** you two are such idiots!" Hakkai shoved back his chair so violently, that it clattered over and away several feet. As the usually mild young man stormed out of the inn, Sanzo and Gojyo sat in silence.

"Shit." Gojyo finally broke the air, he grabbed a drink and downed it in a gulp. "Hakkai's freaking scary when he loses it."

Sanzo pensively stared at the still half-full plate that Goku had left without answering.

"Um, Sanzo?" Gojyo prodded.

Sanzo's eyes focused on Gojyo with a force similar to one of Hakkai's chi blasts, "So, what is bothering Goku?"

"Huh?" Gojyo blinked as Sanzo leveled that gaze at him. He shrank back from the table.

"Hey, man, I don't know. He hasn't told me anything."

"Goku has been acting weird for the last month, sneaking into my room late at night." Sanzo finally admitted, "I confronted him, and he told me it was because he wanted to protect me."

Gojyo sighed and ran a hand through his tangled locks, "Well, it wouldn't surprise me. Whenever Hakkai, Goku and I room together, he always seems to sneak out for most of the night. I wondered where he went."

"Why didn't you mention it?" Sanzo lit a cigarette lazily, though the action was betrayed by a trembling of the hand that held the lighter.

"Huh? Well, I figured, the kid's 18, adult enough to make his own decisions. I kind of thought he was out looking for a girl or meeting one."

Sanzo snorted, "That would never happen. The only thing on his brain is food."

Gojyo sighed, "Well, things like that have a way of changing, you know. Anyway, I guess I have been a jerk lately. What about you?"

Sanzo's eyes narrowed, "I refuse to admit anything. But Goku does worry me. If it's not a girl, or protecting me, what could it be?"

Gojyo waved the waitress over, "Let's talk about it over some drinks, because Man, my head hurts."

Sanzo nodded very slightly.

Hakkai wandered through the streets, turning his head back and forth in a vain attempt to find Goku.

"Goku!" Hakkai called, "Goku! Where are you? Answer me if you hear me!"

Goku, meanwhile, sat some distance away from the town in a meadow by a stream and stared at the starlit sky. He stretched out suddenly and lay on his back.

"Man…" Goku rubbed his burning eyes, "What a sucky day. My head hurts." He lifted a hand out and peered at the sliver of a moon through his fingers. "Freaky."

"Here you are." Hakkai's voice announced grimly as he finally reached Goku's side. "I've been looking for you, didn't you hear me?"

Goku sighed, "Hakkai, can I tell you my secret now? The others aren't around."

Hakkai blinked, then cleared his throat nervously, "Well, if you're ready." Hakkai stepped around Goku and sat down next to him. Without thinking, he lifted his head to look at the sky, falling backward onto the ground to get an easier vantage point. He waited patiently for Goku to start speaking.

"I'm…I'm starting to remember stuff. Stuff that happened when I was small."

"Really? That's great, Goku!" Hakkai responded immediately, his mind racing.

"Kinda. I mean, I kinda feel like I'm there and here at the same time, you know? Even though I know it happened a long time ago…it still feels like it's happening now. I get screwed up and can't remember where I'm at. The only thing that makes that go away is if I…"

At Goku's stopped speech, Hakkai turned his head to see Goku crying, with his hand covering his eyes.

"Goku." Hakkai said his name comfortingly.

"Sorry, Hakkai. It gets pretty bad sometimes. I don't understand all of it. It's really hazy and it makes my head hurt bad."

Hakkai sat up suddenly, "Remembering causes you pain?"

"Yeah."

Hakkai frowned. The goddess who had appeared had mentioned Goku spent time in Heaven. Sanzo had said that Goku had been imprisoned for 500 years in a cave on a mountaintop. If Goku's memories weren't supposed to be recalled…if the act of regaining those memories was painful…he couldn't even begin to imagine what those memories would include. If they were themselves painful, then Goku would be in a fragile mental position during their journey. Not unlike the rest of the group.

Hakkai cleared his throat, "So you were saying what calms you…"

Goku opened his eyes, "It's Sanzo. Just being near him helps. Every time I woke up with a nightmare or a memory, I'd go to his room. Once I saw him, the pain went away. But since he caught me, I haven't been able to…"

Hakkai sighed, "Even when Gojyo or I were there, we couldn't help?"

Goku shook his head. "No. It's only Sanzo. He feels different, somehow." Goku suddenly realized that Hakkai was frowning. "Oh, but I still like you and Gojyo, Hakkai. But Sanzo is different."

Hakkai smiled, "Don't worry, Goku. I understand what you're saying. It's okay, you know. I'm very very glad that you trusted me to tell me this."

Goku rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, but it still hurts. I kinda want to know what happened, but I also kinda want…I mean…I'm living **now**, right?"

At the strange question, Hakkai turned his head thoughtfully, "Does it feel dreamlike?"

Goku laughed suddenly, "No! Because Sanzo hits so hard or Gojyo teases me. And you talk to me like an adult."

Hakkai touched Goku's head, "You are one, you know."

Goku beamed at Hakkai, "You know, I really do love you, Hakkai!"

As Goku launched himself at Hakkai, pinning him backwards on the ground as he hugged him, Sanzo and Gojyo, who were walking toward the pair on the riverbank, witnessed the last portion of the scene.

"What the hell are you doing, you stupid monkey!" Sanzo roared suddenly, whipping out his fan and beating Goku over the head with it.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Sanzo!" Goku peered up at Sanzo as he covered his head protectively, still sprawled over Hakkai.

"Ow! Sanzo, watch where you're hitting!" Hakkai said peevishly, the beating began too suddenly to repel with chi.

"Shut up, both of you. Enough nonsense." Sanzo grabbed Goku by his collar and dragged him away from Hakkai.

"Huh?" Both Goku and Hakkai chorused.

Gojyo sprawled out next to Hakkai, "Jeez, I turn away for a moment and the chimp's all over you." He shoved his hands under his head to prop it up as he stared at the sky.

"Gojyo!." Hakkai began.

"Shut up, Hakkai. I'm sorry I was such a jerk." Gojyo said suddenly, "But that doesn't mean you're the only one who gets to talk to the chimp."

Hakkai turned at Gojyo's head gesture and watched Sanzo pull Goku away a little farther down the bank.

"Oh."

"Sanzo-sama was really very worried, you know."

"Really?" Hakkai felt doubtful.

"Yeah, really. You're not the only one who loves the chimp."

"Gojyo!"

Gojyo chuckled, "What? You saying we can't love the little monkey too?"

Hakkai sighed, "No. Not at all. Not if you mean… But…"

"Relax, Hakkai. Once you spouted off on us, everything made sense. We were assholes and only you and Goku were true to form."

"Is that so?" Hakkai turned his head to glance at Gojyo, "Well, I'm glad to hear that."

"Yeah."

"So, Gojyo, did you figure out **why** you were such an asshole?"

"…."

"Gojyo?"

"Better just leave it, Hakkai. It's a secret."

Hakkai frowned, "I don't like secrets."

Gojyo grinned, "Yeah, I know."

A few steps away, Sanzo's ears were filled with Goku's recent trials and tribulations, until finally Sanzo pounded his fist on Goku's head.

"Enough, monkey."

Goku touched his very sore head with his hands and glared. Sanzo opened his fist and let it rest on Goku's head.

"If you have problems, speak them. That's what I expect. I can't read your mind." Sanzo glared. Well, actually he _could_ hear Goku's voice internally and yeah, they did have a 'connection', but this was different. Goku had been shutting him out recently.

Goku's eyes filled with tears, "But you were always so angry whenever I tried to talk about it!"

Sanzo frowned, "That's cause it was in the middle of the night and you wouldn't tell me what was wrong!"

Goku rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. "Oh."

"Quit sneaking around, Goku."

"Huh?"

"You don't have to."

"Oh."

Sanzo rubbed Goku's head then looked up at the night sky.

"Sanzo?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Goku moved forward and embraced him around the middle. Sanzo sighed. Normally he'd push the brat away immediately, but the truth was he'd missed the brat's sudden bouts of affection. The way Goku embraced Hakkai so easily…Sanzo clenched his teeth as his arms closed around Goku.

"OI! Over there! The romantic Monk and ero-monkey!"

Goku and Sanzo whipped around and glared simultaneously at Gojyo, "What did you say?" They chorused, breaking apart awkwardly. Sanzo's hand crept toward his gun, but Goku grabbed his arm quickly.

Gojyo grinned as he slung his arm over the corner of Hakkai's shoulder and leaned, "It's getting cold out, why don't we go finish dinner?"

"Oh! Food! Food! Food!" Goku leapt up in the air, still holding onto Sanzo's arm.

Hakkai cleared his throat, "But, won't it have disappeared by now? Our order, I mean?"

Sanzo tilted his head and smirked, "I think we can afford to reorder." He held up the three aspects gold card, though silvered in the twilight.

"Yay!" Lifting his arms in victory, Goku then immediately wrapped his arms around Sanzo's free arm and hugged, "Let's go, Sanzo!"

"Yeah!" Gojyo grinned, "Let's go, Sanzo-sama!"

"Shut up." Sanzo led them back toward the town.

Hakkai glanced at the sky once more and smiled, "Well, it took awhile, but we finally got back on track."

Gojyo paused just ahead of Hakkai, "Yo, Hakkai, hurry the hell up! I'm starving."

"Coming, Gojyo!"


End file.
